


The Seder

by boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Pesach | Passover, Religious Imagery & Symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-07 00:42:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14659647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore/pseuds/boldlygowherenodoghasgonebefore
Summary: A belated birthday gift for a friend!Worf fluff.  Worf's family visits and holds a seder.  Beta canon implies Worf's adopted parents might be Jewish, and I'm going with it.





	The Seder

Worf paced the confines of the guest quarters.

_This was a terrible idea._

Watching his parents putter around, he drew a breath. It all was so familiar. It might have been only yesterday.

Except it had been at least a decade.

When his parents asked to come visit, his first thought was that it wasn’t a good time. The Enterprise was undergoing a retrofit, and Lieutenant La Forge and Commander Data needed his input on the tactical array. It was an ambitious effort and no one would have much downtime.

Upon reflection, he relented a bit. It had been months since they had last seen Alexander, and Utopia Planitia was as close to Earth as they were likely to get for some time. So he’d reluctantly agreed.

_“There will not be much time to visit. I will be busy with work.”_

They assured him it would be fine, they’d visit with Alexander, and it would be good just to see him.

Then Helena Rozhenko noticed the dates of their visit.

“It’s passover. How long has it been since we’ve had a proper seder?”

How long indeed? Alexander had taken part in one last year, before rejoining his father on the enterprise, and he was eager to be an expert at this year’s ceremony.

Worf’s last seder had been the year before he left for his rite of ascension at age 15. After that, he’d refused to participate in any earth ritiuals for the remainder of his teenage years.

The door chimed, and in walked Data, Geordi, and Deanna. His mother took a plate of fruit from Geordi, some fresh flowers from Deanna, and then looked at Data’s gift, puzzled.

“According to the computer files on passover, a seder can never have enough eggs. So I asked the replicator for some festive eggs to bring.”

Geordi laughed out loud, and Deanna spoke gently.

“Data, those are easter eggs. The computer was talking about hard-boiled eggs, which are part of a traditional seder.”

Geordi, smiling, went to answer the door as it chimed again.

Jean Luc Picard walked in, looking supremely uncomfortable in his dress uniform. There was a bottle of wine under his arm, and he smiled awkwardly.

“Thank you for the invitation, Mr. and Mrs. Rozhenko. This is for you. The finest red wine from my family’s vineyard in France.”

At Deanna’s questioning look, he said, “Renee always sends me back with a case of wine. This one has been gathering dust since my last trip to earth.”

“Thank you, Captain,” said Worf stiffly, “I am glad you were able to make it.”

Worf accepted the wine and opened it deftly with the replicated corkscrew.

His parents had done a meticulous job replicating the china they used for special occasions at home, and Worf found some red wine glasses in the cabinets.

“Worf! Use the other goblets. We’re having a dairy meal tonight.”

Trying to be patient, Worf said, “Mother, the glasses are replicated. The food is replicated. There is no real meat anywhere aboard the enterprise. And these glasses will never be used after tonight.”

“Don’t argue, dear. The dairy goblets are in the other cabinet. Pour some wine for our guests and help your father set the table.”

Worf sighed and did as he was told. Were everyone’s parents this difficult? He caught the knowing look in Deanna’s eyes and remembered she had grown up with Lwaxana Troi. It could definitely be worse.

Geordi looked confused.

“Dairy goblets?”

Data’s eyes lit up as he explained.

“Geordi, the Jewish people have strict rules for food preparation and eating. Dairy and meat items are kept separated. Most Jews have separate plates, cutlery, cookware, and even sections of the counter for dairy and meat.”

Picard looked thoughtful.

“Is that why there is a separate sink?”

“Yes, captain. Some families use glass plates and cups for both dairy and meat, cleaning them thoroughly with boiling water to switch. Others use ceramic plates which must be kept and washed separately. Many other use completely different plates for passover, ones that have never touched “chametz”, which is forbidden during this week. Rabbis differ on their opinions of the appropriate means of koshering dishes, which can be quite extensive. For example, Rabbi-“

Deanna laid a hand on his arm and he stopped, looking somewhat abashed.

There was a few moments of silence, and then Alexander said proudly, “I’m going search for the chametz this year. Would you like to help?”

At Data’s questioning glance, Deanna said, “I think that would be lovely, Data. Here’s a candle so that you can both be very thorough.”

Worf finally felt a smile breaking through.

Alexander looked delighted.

“Quite the pair they make,” said Geordi, “I don’t think I’ve seen Data so excited since his poetry reading last month.”

Eventually they made their way towards the table. Alexander insisted on sitting next to Data, who was listening to him chat away about his latest school projects and the games he’d learned that week.

As his father said the Kiddish and they drank the first glass of wine, Worf felt himself relax. It was an excellent vintage. He wasn’t sure it was kosher, but there was no reason to open that can of worms. Besides, his parents only kept kosher on passover.

The night passed pleasantly. The food was superb, Alexander did a fine job on the four questions, and Data helped him find the afikoman, which he bargained for an afternoon in the holodeck with his father.

After the seder they sat in the living room chatting pleasantly. Geordi and Sergey had a lively conversation about the latest advances in warp field theory and Sergey enjoyed a new audience for his stories from the U.S.S. Intrepid.

As Helena stood up to do the dishes, Picard and Data rose to help.  While they washed, Helena shared her experiences of the religious traditions on various regions of earth and the challenge of reconciling their heritage during the move from the colony of Gault to their current home in Minsk.

Worf went upstairs to join Deanna, who had just finished getting Alexander ready for bed.

Worf tucked Alexander into bed, thinking that it hadn't been so bad after all.

“Father? Did Elijah really drink that wine?”

Worf smiled.

"How could he even get on the enterprise? Does he have a spaceship?”

“We'll discuss it tomorrow, Alexander.”

“I think one of you drank it.”

As Alexander drifted off, he said sleepily, “I can't wait for the second seder.”

Worf coughed.

“Second seder?”

“Deanna said Lwaxana might come.”

“She’s passing through the sector on a diplomatic mission and wanted to stop by for a visit,” said Deanna innocently.

Worf looked around in panic, as he considered and dismissed half a dozen excuses he could use to miss the seder.

He looked up and saw her eyes twinkle as a laugh broke through.

Worf let out a sigh of relief, then realized his parents probably would do a seder the next night.

It was going to be a long week.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
